Marge Palmerlee, executive director of Degage Ministries, and the Rev. Andy DeBraber, executive director of Heartside Ministry, shared their thoughts with MLive readers during a live chat on Friday.

Those agencies are among the several in the city offering assistance to homeless residents.

Neither of the advocates said it is a good idea to give panhandlers money, saying the cash often doesn’t go to the person’s most pressing needs. They try to direct needy people to the agencies, which can provide a litany of assistance.

Degage instead offers $2 vouchers for people to give panhandlers, which the people can use for food, locker rent, laundry, socks, a haircut and any of our services.

DeBraber said it’s important to treat panhandlers with respect.

“One big difference is whether you have or try to develop a relationship with the person you are helping. That's an advantage we have at Heartside Ministry and Degage. We know these folks well and what they have stated their goals for life are. We then work alongside them to achieve those goals, whether it be housing, employment, or food.”

Eric Erickson: Not money but offer a meal or an ear to hear their story, encouragement and prayer. Great story on this topic thanks.

Drew DuBois: A lot of homeless people have an underlying mental illness that basically makes them 'unemployable' in this competitive job market. When you have college graduates working at McDonald's because they can't find any other work, how is a homeless, mentally ill person going to compete? The drug addiction is just an attempt to self-medicate, or self-destruct.

Also, people are saying they should earn their money. I live on the West Side, and I have often been asked by many indigent persons if there was any kind of odd job they could do, rather than ask for money directly. I always see signs on Leonard and Scribner asking for work instead of handouts.

As for me, if someone asks me for a dollar on the street, and I have some extra money, I will gladly give it to them. I hope others would do the same for me if I were in a bad situation.

Laura Rico: My husband and I will when we can. Not usually much, but a few bucks. We don't have the means to be extremely generous, but we know that God calls us to be generous with what we have. If I give someone a few dollars, I've done my part and hope it helps. If they spend it on drugs... well, I can't control that, I can only control what I do with my money. I like the idea of having "care packages" in my car to give to a homeless person or panhandler, but I haven't done that yet.

Chris G. Carron: I buy and give away gift cards to close by restaurants. They're easy to carry in your wallet. Its not for me to judge another person's intentions - only to respond with love to my fellow human in need. But this way I also know that my gift will be used for the purchase of food.

Amelia Uriegas: I do when I have it, after I give its not mine anymore, that is between that person & God what they do with it!!! You never know when the Lord is testing you!!

Sylvia Towne: God sees everything. You may not know if you are giving to a person or an actual angel sent by God who sees your heart towards the needs of others.

Mike Hale: Grand Rapids has plenty of social service agencies to assist folks. What aggravates me are the so-called 'veterans' on the street corners. Being a veteran myself, I know there are services available to help them.

Luna Jenn Fort: I will not give them money. I have however given them food, a coat hat and gloves, and other material things that they actually need. I saw one woman with a sign "homeless need money for diapers" So I went and bought her a pack of diapers. There are so many agencies that can help. Not all of these panhandlers want help. Some just want money for cigarettes and booze, but not all of them are like that.

Jackie McClelland: Nope! I think a lot of them have just made it a job. They should be using that time to find a job. And don't say there are not jobs out there. One of the reasons the government wants to allow so many immigrants is because U.S. citizens don't want to work for the amount of pay that the jobs offer. So, you are telling me these people who panhandle make more that someone who picks apples??? Yeah, NO!

Nathan Hanis: I don't give them any money because I think if they really wanted it they would be more creative with their signs, maybe use color markers.

Mandy VanHaitsma: Most of the panhandlers I encounter are downtown Grand Rapids, and I know there are a lot of resources, such as Mel Trotter or Guiding Light, where they can easily get a good meal and shelter or even help with bus fare. Panhandling money helps hurt people hurt themselves even more.

Carol Lynn Pomranky: I'd rather give to the charities that provide for the homeless. That way I know the money is being put to the best use.

Victoria L Gonzalez DeHaan: No. If they can stand on a street corner for hours in the heat, rain and cold, they can push a broom or make fries. Sorry, but many panhandlers live better than us. They make a lot of money on the corners and don't pay taxes. I give to the Salvation Army i know my donations are going to be used wisely. Not for drugs and booze.

Cora Carr: A lot of them are fakes; I overheard a group of them talking at Biggby last weekend about how to split the money, who wasn't making enough & that they needed to call it quits at 5:30 so they could "get home, shower, and watch the game." Has no one else noticed that their signs all say relatively the same thing? These people are not hurting for money; they just are too lazy to go out & actually work for their money.

Chris Ann Winters: I have been so fortunate in my life. I have been blessed with four beautiful children and a husband that has a heart of gold. My husband always gives, even if its his last dollar. It's his philosophy that our children learn through our actions and he wants them to know compassion and love of others. Yes, some may take advantage but some really need it! If I were to pass someone by and some thing were to happen, I would never forgive myself knowing I could have helped. If nothing else my children will know compassion and love for thy neighbor. God is the only real judge!

Becky Britz: Nope- I will give food, or toiletries, but I will not enable their drug or alcohol addictions, nor will I reward scammers

Phillip Brown: I typically do not. I have bought food or things. Panhandlers, as a stereotype make people uncomfortable and are dangerous. I counsel people not to give money in their own neighborhood in the hopes the picking will be better elsewhere and the panhandlers will migrate. To many buy liquor and lotto. Buying hope and trying to forget. I feel for them. But I have known a few that make as much as a server or bartender on a busy night. It is a difficult situation.

Chris MacGeorge: What I don't understand about these panhandlers is that they are out begging for money and food and complaining that they don't have jobs or lost a home. Doesn't Grand Rapids already have homeless shelters and food kitchens perfectly available to them? (Yes it does) So why are there still others on the side of the streets?

Were they kicked out of the shelters and kitchens, are they too oblivious to realize that option is available, or are they "above" going to those places? Grand Rapids doesn't have that bad of a homeless/ jobless problem. Many of these panhandlers aren't doing what they should, taking a little humility and finding those establishments that will care for them and can help them find jobs.

As for the panhandlers I see folding up their signs and driving off in better cars than those who do work hard and unfortunately give their money away to them, those are the lazy ones. There are plenty of charities downtown that you can volunteer for if you REALLY wanted to help those affected, or just donate to. It's a safer bet that your money will be put to better use that way. Just saying my opinion, thanks

Blaine Ubelhor: I am all over town all day long. I see the same groups of "homeless" people working the corners. The problem is many of these people are not "homeless." They have homes, cars and plenty to eat. They make more in a day than many of us. They scam motorists out of their cash and play on our sympathy. Meanwhile, those really in need still suffer. It is very much possible to get out of being homeless.

There is a lot of help, many jobs, many laundry mats, etc. If you're homeless you need to stop making excuses and thinking you can't raise above roadblocks. You are the only person making yourself go through this. It's your life, your choices.

Many people succeed each day at climbing out of that hole. If you can't work because of a mental illness or handicap, there is assistance for that. Suck up your pride and take what help comes your way. Do odd jobs until you can afford to go to Mel Trotter to buy an outfit and some soap, go to the river and take a bath, go get your haircut and a shave, buy a pre-paid phone, set up an interview anywhere and many of them, take the bus its cheap. Now you have a job, you look and feel better, you have loads of self-worth coming your way and soon you'll be able to get a bank account of a re-loadable debit card from Walmart, next comes an apartment, figure it out if you don't "want" to be homeless.

That took me all of ten seconds to figure out and it will work. The fact is, if you don't motivate yourself and work at it, you'll always be out on the corner begging for money. Majority of homeless have substance abuse problems. That to can be overcome with work. If you put yourself there and then refuse to take responsibility and don't try to better your life, than please stay away from my window. I'll help those who help themselves. Standing on a corner is just not the way to do it.